Magistrate court auctions unclaimed goods of passengers in Yobe

A magistrate court in Potiskum, Yobe state Friday presided over the auctioning of items forgotten by passengers while on transit.

The unclaimed items were kept for six years under the custody of motor parks officials, hence the reason behind auctioning them to the public.

The exercise was presided over by the court’s Principal Registrar, Barrister Umar Kachallah, alongside officials of the Potiskum Branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to ensure transparency and avoid any litigation.

Barrister Kachallah said the items were in custody of the NURTW for between five to six years where the period is enough to seek the consent of the court to embark on public auction for the items.

According to him, there is legal backing to the exercise as any item bought by anybody will be issued a receipt to cover any matter that might arise.

“Money realised from the auction belongs to government and will be used for charity,” the Principal Registrar said.

The Chairman of the NURTW in Potiskum local government, Mohammed Ibrahim said over the years, the union has been receiving forgotten items from drivers, adding that those recovered items were being registered with the Magistrate Court.

“We normally dispose perishable items after three days, while goods are being kept by registering them together with the vehicle number plates, date of arrival and the driver’s identification,” Ibrahim disclosed.

During the auctioning, about one hundred thousand naira was realised which will be donated to orphanages and prisons in the state.